OK folks, it's time
WHAT ARE WE ANNOUNCING?
We have exciting news for you today.
THE FACTS
Let's not mince words. The Smallfry Keyboard Kit is horrendously late. The complexity of the kit, number of customers, and vagaries of manufacturing have destroyed the original lead time estimates, and all semblance of the original budget.
In less depressing news, Input Club, the keyboard cartel consisting of our own superstars HaaTa, Parak and Over^Kill have been expanding their line of keyboard kits driven by the the Input Club Infinity programmable keyboard controller. The Infinity controller is a brand new design powered by a 32-bit ARM microprocessor and is fully programmable via a convenient web tool or command line. Further, the Infinity controller footprint is small enough to be integrated directly onto keyboard PCBs _without_ a separate Teensy or Arduino-based controller board.
Input Club has been redesigning the most popular keyboard kits with the Infinity controller, starting with the 60% Infinity, and now the Infinity Ergodox, both distributed by Massdrop.com.
ERGO, ANNOUNCEMENT
Input Club has been developing a new 40% keyboard based on the JD40 layout made famous by jdcarpe. The Infinity JD40 will feature the Infinity keyboard controller and new PCB layout. The Infinity JD40 will add a metric tonne of gee whiz features over the old JD40 PCB and further, construction of the board is made substantially easier by the removal of the separate teensy. This new Infinity JD40 is also going to be distributed by Massdrop.com.
A-WHAAA?!?!
Yes! You heard me right. Massdrop.com will be providing every member of the Smallfry Keyboard Kit group buy with an Infinity JD40 PCB! In addition to providing a brand new, cutting edge PCB, our own Andrew "Kash" Lekashman of Massdrop.com will be personally helping to fulfill every Smallfry Keyboard Kit order. That, my friends, is true keyboard dedication.
WHY is this Infinity JD40 PCB so great?
To recap, the JD40Club PCB will use the same fully programmable, integrated 32-bit controller as the Infinity 60% keyboard kit and the Infinity Ergodox keyboard kit, but in a 40% form factor. For those that remember the Sega Saturn, original Playstation, and every Nintendo console of the 1990s, this keyboard is more powerful. What's that I hear? Yes, that is the exciting march of perpetual progress.
WANT! WHEN?
Development of the Infinity JD40 has made great progress. However, development is ongoing. Development is currently at the late design to early prototype phase. Massdrop.com and Input Club will be providing updates and sneak peaks as development progresses. Massdrop.com plans on releasing their the Infinity JD40 Kit, which will include a vastly different case design, in late June, which will put final Smallfry Kit delivery at in the June to July timeframe. The PCB used in the Infinity 40% will be the same as the one everyone in the Smallfry Keyboard Kit will be receiving, and to save money all of the PCB’s will be made in the same run.
RECAP
The Smallfry Keyboard Kit is receiving a free upgrade as Input Club and Massdrop have designed a new PCB for all Smallfry Kit GB members. mkawa@geekhackers will still providing all Smallfry Kit components EXCEPT for the PCB. Further, Massdrop.com will just be leveraging its logistics team and buying scale to help out in the way where we can have the greatest impact.
We are in the beginning stages of this process, and as such, Andrew@massdrop, folks@Input Club and mkawa@geekhackers will be updating the thread as development proceeds with sign-up instructions, prototype media and other details. Stay tuned!
You can find information about the Infinity 60% keyboard at
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/infinity-keyboard-kit and
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/infinity-ergodox. Further, the Infinity keyboard configurator will be updated to support the new Infinity JD40 PCB when it arrives.